A Holy Door is traditionally an entrance portal located within the Papal major basilicas in Rome. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremoniously opened during Jubilee years designated by the Pope, for pilgrims who enter through those doors may piously gain the plenary indulgences attached with the Jubilee year celebrations.
Holy Door by Vico Consorti at the Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry during its construction
The Holy Door by Vico Consorti, cast by Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry of Florence, is the northernmost entrance of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It is cemented shut and only opened for Jubilee Years.
Rear of the Holy Door. Contained inside are several medals and canonical documents from the Pontificate during which the door was last opened. Following the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the door is now sealed.
Jubilee commemorative medal of Gregory XIII, 1575
Basilicas in the Catholic Church
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense. Basilicas are either major basilicas, of which there are four, all in the Diocese of Rome, or minor basilicas, of which there were 1,810 worldwide as of 2019.
Conopaeum (left), tintinnabulum (right), and a papal chair (middle), one of the privileges granted to a basilica
Archbasilica of St John Lateran 41°53′09″N 12°30′22″E / 41.88583°N 12.50611°E / 41.88583; 12.50611
St. Peter's Basilica 41°54′8″N 12°27′12″E / 41.90222°N 12.45333°E / 41.90222; 12.45333
Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls 41°51′31″N 12°28′38″E / 41.85861°N 12.47722°E / 41.85861; 12.47722